This May Be the Most Charming Ski Town in Europe-With Affordable Tickets, Epic Apres-ski Bars, and Long Sledding Trails

""At the top of that lift, I met my travel companion ( Travel + Leisure's own Nina Ruggiero), where we dined at Schafalm, a ski hut so charming, you'd think it was a movie set thanks to its crackling fireplace in the center, cedar walls, and lederhosen-wearing staff. "Are you guys going to the concert tonight?" three more strangers-turned-friends asked as BSB blared over the speakers, sitting down to join us for our cocoa break.""

""Each year, this small town of only a few thousand residents roars to life with its seasonal bash, ushering in the winter to come with joy, laughter, and plenty of mulled wine. It's become the toast of the ski and snowboard community in Europe thanks to its high-caliber concerts, which have featured megastars like Robbie Williams in 2023, Bryan Adams and Sting in 2024, and, for my visit in 2025, Brian, Nick, Kevin, Howie, and AJ.""

A spontaneous invitation to sing on a ski lift sparked immediate camaraderie with strangers and youthful joy. The narrator rode toward the peak singing Backstreet Boys and felt rejuvenated. Schladming transforms each year for Opening Ski Weekend with bright holiday lights, soft snow, mulled wine, and high-caliber concerts. Recent performers have included Robbie Williams, Bryan Adams, Sting, and the Backstreet Boys in 2025. The narrator dined at Schafalm, a cozy ski hut with a central fireplace, cedar walls, and lederhosen-wearing staff. Strangers joined for cocoa, invited the narrator to the golden circle, and the group hurried to prepare for the evening performance.

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